đ Up next
Monaco
FP18d 18h
Pierre Gasly says Alpine have âa lot of work aheadâ to get their car back into a good place after struggling again in Canada, despite recovering into the points from 14th on the grid. Gasly said: "Overall, it's a really good team result and strong points for the championship. In general, though, I have struggled with the car again and, as a team, we need to see why that is and aim to fix a few areas. There is a lot of work ahead of us to get the car into a good place again and that is our target between now and Monaco."
Charles Leclerc says Ferrari are âquite downâ on horsepower and hopes the FIAâs Additional Development and Upgrade Opportunities (ADUO) process could help the team close some of its straight-line speed gap to rivals. Leclerc said: "It's probably a bit of both. But surely in terms of horsepower, we are quite down. So I hope we are into the ADUO, then this will help us to close a little bit the gap."
Lewis Hamilton says he is âreally loving workingâ with new Ferrari race engineer Carlo Santi after an off-season change following a difficult first year working with Riccardo Adami. Hamilton said: "I chose a different set-up this weekend through just ciphering through the data, working really well with my engineer. He's absolutely awesome and I'm really loving working with him."
Sky F1 pundit Martin Brundle said Lewis Hamiltonâs second place at the Canadian Grand Prix was âbittersweetâ, because he passed Max Verstappen for the position but was beaten by Kimi Antonelli in the Mercedes Hamilton left for Ferrari. Brundle said: "I think it's sort of bittersweet for Lewis, isn't it? Because Antonelli wins the race in the car Lewis stepped out of to go to Ferrari. But to get a second place there in such a competitive way⌠For Lewis to get that by overtaking his old rival in Max Verstappen, he'll be thoroughly satisfied with that."
Red Bull boss Laurent Mekies said the team were âa little bit relievedâ to see Max Verstappen come through the NĂźrburgring 24 Hours unscathed, while backing the four-time Formula 1 championâs racing outside F1. Mekies said: "Of course, we are a little bit relieved when the race is over, and we know he's going to jump on the plane and join us back. But overall, it's very positive for the sport, for motorsport as a whole, for Max and for the team."
Red Bull team principal Laurent Mekies says Mercedes is âahead of the fieldâ on powertrain performance as Formula 1 waits for the FIA to announce the results of its first ADUO evaluation after the Canadian Grand Prix. Mekies said: "And today we think the pecking order is Mercedes, in terms of the powertrain, ahead of the field. And that means eight cars, so it is very significant. We think behind them there is a group where we see us, Ferrari, Audi â don't ask me to quote the numbers because it will be gaming â but we certainly see a consistent gap compared to the Mercedes-Benz-powered cars."
Lando Norris says Ferrari are likely to be the team to beat at next weekendâs Monaco Grand Prix, even though Mercedes have taken pole position and won all five races so far this season. Norris said: "Honestly, I think the Ferrari will be on pole next weekend in Monaco. Their low-speed performance is far better than everyone else."
Gucci will become Alpineâs title sponsor from 2027 in a multi-year deal, marking the Italian fashion houseâs first move into Formula 1 and replacing BWT as the teamâs main backer. Alpine said the team will be renamed the Gucci Racing Alpine F1 Team, with a new black-and-gold Gucci Racing identity unveiled and Gucci branding set to feature prominently on the 2027 car, alongside bespoke paddock and performance products for team personnel. Gucci said it is joining F1 now because it sees the championshipâs audience and reach as a strong fit for the brand, with president and CEO Francesca Bellettini saying: "F1 represents today a unique convergence of performance, culture, and global reach, and Alpine is the right partner to bring this vision to life."
F1 chief executive Stefano Domenicali says Formula 1 has âa contingency planâ if the season-ending Qatar and Abu Dhabi Grands Prix cannot go ahead amid ongoing instability in the Middle East. Domenicali said: "I can confirm that we have a contingency plan. And if the two end-of-year races cannot take place because the war is not over, we will have other alternatives."
Formula 1 chief executive Stefano Domenicali says he supports the proposed return to V8 engines, after FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem said he is keen to reintroduce them for the next cycle of regulations while keeping sustainable fuels. Domenicali said: "1,000%, I've always said so. I fully support the vision of the FIA president. With sustainable fuel, lighter cars, and V8 engines, we rediscover the pure essence of motorsport. That's what I've always loved."
Lewis Hamilton said he was relieved to keep Max Verstappen behind after passing him for second place late on in the Canadian Grand Prix, as he managed Ferrariâs battery use because of what he described as a power deficit on the straights. Hamilton said: "Even if we have the overtake, even in overtake [mode] they still have more power in the straights. So, finding a way, I was just having to do these calculations, trying to figure out how to maximise the amount of power on my battery bar each straight and make sure that I have enough at that particular point. Thank God I managed to pull it off. And it's a great feeling when you overtake as well. So, these cars are awesome to be able to follow."
Charles Leclerc says he will study Ferrari team-mate Lewis Hamiltonâs data from the Canadian Grand Prix to understand why he struggled in what he called âthe most difficult weekendâ of his Formula 1 career, despite finishing fourth behind runner-up Hamilton. Leclerc said: "It was a horrible, horrible weekend. I had already said [post-qualifying on Saturday] it was probably the most difficult weekend so far of my Formula 1 career. I've finished the race now and I can definitely say it's the most difficult weekend of my Formula 1 career so far. The good thing, the only positive of the weekend, is that I've got Lewis in the same car and I can look at what he did this weekend and try to get answers on why I was just struggling so much."
Franco Colapinto said he was relieved to escape with only minor damage after sliding into the wall on the pit exit in Montreal during the Canadian Grand Prix, before going on to finish sixth for his best Formula 1 result. Colapinto said: "I also had a scary moment exiting the pits after my stop, where I hit a wet patch, then went on the white line and drifted towards the wall. Thankfully I hit the wall side on and got away with a small amount of damage, which didn't require repairs or impact the performance."
Martin Brundle says Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli is âluckyâ to have Toto Wolff and race engineer Peter Bonnington to calm him down after he âlost his headâ during a sprint clash with team-mate George Russell at the Canadian Grand Prix. Brundle said: "Kimi lost his head a bit for the duration of the sprint, such that the headmaster Toto Wolff even intervened on the radio. Kimi is lucky to have the wisdom of Bono and Toto at these moments; the rest of us would have just gone straight to the scene of the contact or accident, and recriminations post-race."
George Russell says the Drivers' Championship is Kimi Antonelli's "to lose" after a battery failure forced Russell to retire from the Canadian Grand Prix and left his Mercedes team-mate 43 points clear. Russell said: "Right now, it's his to lose. So many points ahead. It's almost like the gods don't want me to be in this fight... But you know pressure's off, go out, enjoy every single race, try and win every single race, and I've got nothing to lose... Hopefully, the luck turns."
Get the full feed, faster alerts, and the stories worth following on your phone.
